Sean McDermott is first Bills coach to be 4-0 at home. His thoughts: "When you have your chin over the bar talent-wise, you combine that with character, you give yourself a chance to have the culture, and then when you have the culture, you give yourself a chance to have the chemistry that is so important to having a good team.''(Photo: JAMIE GERMANO, @jgermano1/Staff Photographer)Buy Photo

ORCHARD PARK – With the Buffalo Bills embracing their underdog status and ready to take on the bright lights of Broadway (OK, the New Jersey swamps) against the New York Jets on national television Thursday, fans and media are leafing through the record books to find out when was the last time the team started 5-2.

How could we forget?

It was 2011, forever known as “The Fitz Year.’’

That season, the Bills took down the Washington Redskins 23-0 in Toronto for their fifth win two days before Halloween.

Coach Chan Gailey was the talk of the town, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a new six-year, $59-million contract signed two days previously with the ink still wet, and the future looked as bright as a candle in a pumpkin.

Six years, three head coaches and three starting quarterbacks later, these current red-hot Bills are being asked if they are for real or just another apparition? The latest illusion from a franchise good at selling hope (along with jerseys, hot dogs and beer) but that hasn’t been to the playoffs in 17 seasons. A team that’s broken more hearts than Emilia Clarke.

“You know, I’m going to talk about this team,’’ rookie coach Sean McDermott said. “I don’t know what’s been here in the past, I just know that we come out every week, the guys work hard, they respect the process and put in the time. For us, it’s about earning the chance to win on Sundays by doing things the right way Monday through Saturday.’’

Or Monday through Wednesday with a game on Thursday.

The Bills will be tested not only by a quick turnaround from Sunday’s thorough 34-14 whipping of the Oakland Raiders, but by an equally gritty Jets club that is redefining what it means to be a “good bad team.’’

Incredibly, the Jets lost a touchdown on this play as it was ruled that Austin Seferian-Jenkins fumbled before he hit the pylon.(Photo: Bill Kostroun, AP)

New York has lost games by margins of 9, 7, 3 and 5 points and like Buffalo has silenced talk about “tanking’’ for a top draft pick.

Its latest game effort came against Atlanta, a 25-20 loss, where the Jets self-destructed with two missed field goals by Chandler Catanzaro and a fumbled punt by Jeremy Kerley that led to a Falcons’ field goal with under seven minutes to play.

Otherwise, 38-year-old quarterback Josh McCown continued his consistent and effective play with two more touchdown throws, giving him 12 on the season.

His receiving corps of Kerley, emerging star Robbie Anderson and Jermaine Kearse, along with tight ends Eric Tomlinson and Austin Seferian-Jenkins (a 262-pound red zone threat who didn’t play the first game) is enough to test Buffalo’s banged-up secondary.

But like the opener, this game will come down to Buffalo’s superior ability to run the ball and stop the run and the Jets inability in both those critical areas. The Bills rank ninth in rushing (124.6 yards per game) and third in run defense (80.1) while the Jets are 23rd (95.8) and 28th (128.2).

The Bills out-rushed the Jets 190-38 in the season’s first meeting led by LeSean McCoy, who is ranked eighth in NFL rushing with 521 yards.

Buffalo was also 5-2 in 2008 under coach Dick Jauron before going 2-7 the rest of the way.

When was the last time Buffalo was 6-2?

Well, the last time it had six wins through eight games was 1993 when it was 7-1. That team finished 12-4 and went to its fourth consecutive Super Bowl. The previous three Bills Super Bowl teams went 7-1, 7-1 and 6-2 through eight games, so great starts matter.

Do fans and media dare to dream these dreams?

The 2017 Bills are in such good shape as the halfway point of the season nears, they can afford losses to New Orleans (5-2), Kansas City (6-2) and a sweep by arch nemesis New England (6-2) and still achieve the 10 victories usually needed to snag a playoff spot.

But it does mean going 5-4 the rest of the way and Buffalo’s remaining nine games are against seven opponents whose combined record is 39-30. Its first seven opponents are a combined 23-29.

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Bills running back LeSean McCoy rushed for 151 yards and a touchdown in a 34-14 win over the Raiders.(Photo: JAMIE GERMANO, @jgermano1/Staff Photographer)

Flying in the face of the one-game-at-a-time mantra, here’s our weekly look at the rest of the Bills’ schedule:

Nov. 2, at NY Jets (3-5). Last week: lost to Atlanta 25-20. This week: host Buffalo (5-2). The Jets have lost three consecutive games by a total of 15 points and the Bills won’t take their AFC East rival lightly. Josh McCown has enough receiving weapons to test Buffalo’s banged up secondary and New York's defense has 13 takeaways, just four fewer than the Bills.

Nov. 12, New Orleans (5-2). Last week: beat Chicago 20-12. This week: host Tampa Bay (2-5). The Saints won without a touchdown pass from Drew Brees to extend their win streak to five games. Mark Ingram is a running back built for a November game at New Era Field but he did fumble twice against the Bears.

Nov. 19, at L.A. Chargers (3-5). Last week: lost to New England 21-13. This week: bye. Chargers’ three-game win streak was snapped by the Patriots in a hard-fought affair. The team has three losses by 3, 2 and 2 points. Running back Melvin Gordon (526 yards) will test Bills' No. 3 run defense.

Nov. 26, at Kansas City (6-2). Last week: beat Denver 29-19 on Monday Night Football. This week: at Dallas (4-3). When you have the No. 3 offense and No. 30 defense every game is a wild ride for the Chiefs, who hung on to beat Denver, whose defense held Kareem Hunt to 46 yards rushing. Tight end Travis Kelce (seven catches, 133 yards, one TD) was unstoppable. The Buffalo-KC “Draft Pick Bowl’’ will be can’t-miss viewing.

Dec. 3, at Dec. 24, New England (6-2). Last week: beat L.A. Chargers 21-13. This week: bye. Without linebacker Dont’a Hightower, Patriots turned in another strong defensive effort. New England has allowed 14, 17, 7 and 13 points during its four-game win streak. And it’s official — Tom Brady will be playing until he’s 50 now that backup Jimmy Garoppolo has been traded to San Francisco.

Dec. 10, Indianapolis (2-6). Last week: lost to Cincinnati 24-23. This week: at Houston (3-4). An interception/pick six by Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap for the winning score was just the latest punch in the stomach for the Andrew Luck-less Colts. Luck’s shoulder could keep him out rest of year.

Dec. 17, at Dec. 31 Miami (4-3). Last week: lost to Baltimore 40-0. This week: host Oakland (3-5). The Dolphins' season is on the brink after its debacle against Baltimore, but quarterback Jay Cutler (ribs) is expected back. Miami’s offense is ranked 32nd in yards and points and the front office shook things up Tuesday by trading running back Jay Ajayi to Philadelphia. That’s good news for the Bills as Ajayi has been a thorn in their side.